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Each entry on this list of common misconceptions is worded as a correction; the misconceptions themselves are implied rather than stated. These entries are concise summaries of the main subject articles, which can be consulted for more detail.
- Toilet Seats Are Full of Germs. It's one of the most commons misconceptions that the seats of a toilet are full of germs—after all, the bathroom is hardly the most sanitary place.
- Alcohol Warms You Up. It feels good to have a sip of whisky on a cold day, but that burning sensation is not some kind of interior warmth, as you are often told that it is.
- You Lose Most of Your Body Heat Through Your Head. We are often told to wear a cap in the cold because 90 percent (or about that) of our body heat escapes through our heads.
- Specific Tastes Correspond to Different Parts of the Tongue. Nope—try putting something salty on the "sweet" part of your tongue and see if things are really laid out so geographically.
- Four Taste Groups. In addition to the taste groups of bitter, sour, salty, and sweet, your tongue can also sense a taste group known as "umami" which is a savory and meaty taste.
- Food Before Swimming. Eating shortly before swimming does not increase the risk of experiencing muscle cramps. There is a correlation between alcohol and drowning, however.
- Sugar Makes Kids Hyper. Nope, sugar doesn't cause hyperactivity. Several studies have shown no difference in behavior between children given sugar-full or sugar-free diets, even for sensitive kids.
- Left and Right Brain. Mental abilities are not absolutely separated into the left and right side the brain. In fact, if one hemisphere is damaged at an early age, the other can take over.
Learn the meaning of misconception, a word that describes a wrong or inaccurate idea or conception. See synonyms, examples, word history, and related phrases of misconception.
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- Bulls get angry when they see the color red. You're hardly alone if you believe that when matadors wave those red capes to make bulls charge at them, it's the bright color that incites their anger.
- Goldfish only have a three-second memory. Goldfish have a reputation of having bad memories. But it turns out that the idea that these orange aquatic creatures can only remember things for three seconds is a myth.
- We only use 10 percent of our brains. Many people believe that humans only use 10 percent of their brains; it's even the plot line for the 2014 film Lucy, starring Scarlett Johansson.
- George Washington had wooden teeth. It turns out our nation's first president wasn't rocking a pair of wooden chompers. The historians at the Washington Library say that while George Washington did suffer from dental problems, his dentures were composed of ivory, gold, lead, and even other human teeth—but never any wood.
Jun 21, 2023 · Learn what misconceptions are, how they arise, and how they affect learning in various subjects. Find out some common examples of misconceptions in science, math, history, and language arts, and strategies to avoid them.
Aug 29, 2017 · Learn why the far side of the moon is not always dark, venous blood is not blue, the North Star is not the brightest star, lightning can strike the same place twice, and microwaves do not make food radioactive. These are some of the most widely held scientific beliefs that are not true.
